]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/29/game-6-reaction-podcast-chokers-gonna-choke/feed/27Raptors storm back to take Game 5, 102-99http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/27/raptors-storm-back-take-game-5-102-99/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/27/raptors-storm-back-take-game-5-102-99/#commentsWed, 27 Apr 2016 13:00:54 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67970DeMar returns to form; Powell and company shut down Pacers in fourth quarter.

]]>What is it about Game 5s? There wasn’t one last year, but in 2014 against the Nets, Game 5 broke the internet. In some ways, last night’s game 5 was similar in intensity. But this time, the script was flipped.

Much was made the past 48 hours in the Raptors’ media availability about how this game was to be started. The past 3 games of this series have been decided by the way the teams have started – if you started well, you would finish well. In Games 2 and 3, the Raptors started out firing, leading to decisive victories over the Pacers, who couldn’t seem to execute after those poor starts. The Raptors followed in Game 4 with a poor start, getting in a 7-0 hole within the first 2 minutes, and the rest was history. The narrative coming into last night’s game was, naturally, to get off to a strong start. And of course, the Raptors did exactly the opposite.

The First Half – Same Old Song

The aura around the ACC was electric as usual, but different. It didn’t feel like Game 1. It didn’t feel like Game 5 two years ago. It really just felt…nervous. Maple Leaf Square was no different. Even with the excitement of the thousands of fans enjoying the game outside in colder than seasonal weather, the nervousness couldn’t be denied. Most games in the playoffs are “must-wins”, but this one was really was. Game 2 was a must-win that felt winnable; this one just wasn’t the same.

The storyline at the start of the game was Patrick Patterson, who made his first appearance in the starting lineup in over 70 games for the Raptors. The need for the “adjustment” was as loud of a message from the fans and beat writers as it possibly could be, and this time, Casey listened. Scola has stuck out like a sore thumb in the starting lineup, and Patterson, who’s been dominant for the majority of the series, seemed like the obvious choice for Casey. That’s especially considering Casey being under the microscope following Frank Vogel’s insertion of Myles Turner into the Pacers’ starting lineup for Game 4, which worked like a charm. And low and behold, it really didn’t matter.

The Raps showed those same nerves to start the game. Two of the first three possessions for the Raps led to turnovers (JV was responsible for 4 in the first quarter alone). The easy pass wasn’t being made, pick-and-rolls were in shambles, and the Pacers capitalized quickly. I mean QUICKLY. Three-pointer after three-pointer, George Hill, Solomon Hill, and Paul George made the Raptors perimeter defense look silly. The Pacers closed out the first quarter with 7 three-pointers. The air was out of the ACC, the nerves kicked in, the first-round memories of the past 2 years settled in, and the sheer disappointment could be felt in the building. It felt like the Raptors had been punched in the gut. And the fans felt every bit of it.

After finishing the first quarter -15, the second quarter was mildly better, but not much different. The Pacers “cooled off” to 52% from the field, but all the collective cylinders seemed to be firing. Paul George was on fire, and absolutely nothing seemed like it could stop him. The Raps threw a few different looks at George, mostly consisting of DeMarre Carroll. While Carroll was all over George like a cheap suit, it really didn’t seem to make a difference. George went 7/10 from the field and 4/6 from 3 to close out the first half with 22 points. Simply put, you could’ve put ‘96 Scottie Pippen on this guy, and it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.

The Third Quarter – the end seems near

The third quarter was the one that probably confused us all the most (or so we thought at the time). The Pacers stuck with their core guys for most of the quarter, and while the defense for the Raps improved (the Pacers shot 44% for the quarter), the 9-point lead at halftime grew to 13. Probably the only bright spot for the Raptors, who sorely missed Kyle Lowry’s contribution, was the play of DeMar. After being the single most counter-productive player on the court through the first 4 games of the series, DeRozan put his footprint on this game. Even with DeMar’s contributions, the Raps brought the lead to as close as 3, but the Pacers seemed firmly in control, with a steady diet of Paul George touches that still couldn’t be denied. George proved every bit of his superstar status – hitting 3’s, driving to the basket, getting fouled, and dishing to open teammates. The game, and basically the series, flashed before every Raptor fan’s eyes. The season hinged on the final 12 minutes.

The Fourth Quarter – the comeback begins

With the score at 90-77, the Raps began the fourth quarter on a quick 4-0 run. The best sign was the first shot of the quarter, coming from Lowry, drifting to his left, cleanly stroking an 18-footer. Frank Vogel opted to start the quarter with Paul George and George Hill on the bench, a decision that could’ve cost his team the game. The Pacers came out flat with Ty Lawson and Rodney Stuckey leading the charge in the backcourt – both seemed to be no match for the defense played by Cory Joseph and Kyle Lowry who started the quarter for the Raptors.

Team Defensive Intensity

The fourth quarter defense was simply insane. In what was easily the best single playoff quarter for the Raptors in franchise history, they held Indiana to just 9 points on 4/15 shooting and also forced 6 turnovers. It was a complete meltdown on the part of the Pacers, combined with ultra-active defense from the Raptors. Coach Casey went with an interesting finishing lineup that sealed it – Lowry, Joseph, DeRozan, Powell and Biyombo. Going very small, and with 3 bench guys in a game of that magnitude shows this team’s depth and capability once the defense is locked in and the home crowd is behind them. It also goes to really show how experimental Casey was forced to be with the lineups, to find one that finally worked. Getting 16 rebounds from Bismack Biyombo was incredible, especially considering how JV started this series. JV seemed to have cement himself a spot in the core rotation, but similar to Game 2, credit has to go to Casey for riding the hot lineup regardless of regular season habits and the previous playoff games.

How Rodney Stuckey Lost the Game for the Pacers

I’m really not one to put the entire game on one guy, but not only did Stuckey have a terrible night from the field, in a crucial (really really crucial) juncture of the game mid-fourth quarter, Stuckey made a series of mistakes that cost his team dearly and set the tone for the Raptor avalanche that soon ensued. Throughout the early second half, the Raptors continuously got the lead down to 7, 5, and in one case 3, but the Pacers always had the answer. This time, following a Kyle Lowry duck-in and dish to Biyombo for a huge dunk to cut the Pacer lead to just 7 points at 90-83, Stuckey got fouled. And after the TV timeout that followed, Stuckey toed the line for 2 free throws…and he missed both.

The Raptors’ confidence was growing. Despite a missed 3-pointer, Kyle Lowry ran back on defense, tried to draw a charge on Paul George (something he was trying all night, to no avail), and this time, it led to a key turnover. After Norman Powell capitalized with a quick layup on the other end, the Pacers responded with a CJ Miles Jumper to extend the lead back to 7. And after Cory Joseph scooped in a layup to bring the lead back to within 5, the closest it had been since the third-quarter, Stuckey mishandled the ball at the point of attack and lost it out of bounds – that was the turning point. Drake knew it.

Stuckey was immediately relegated to the bench, but it was too late. The ACC was ready to explode – this game was the Raptors’ to take.

Norman Powell Saves the Day

With two HUGE transition buckets off of forced turnovers, Norman Powell showed absolutely no signs of nerves in this one. The UCLA rook played like a 10-year vet (what else is new), bringing an unprecedented level of energy on defense, shutting down Paul George in the final minutes. After DeRozan and Carroll could do nothing on George for much of the game, Dwane Casey opted for Powell down the stretch on George, a move that was both gutsy, and low-risk at the same time. Gutsy in the sense that you’re opting for a rookie over a guy you’re paying $15M a year for these exact scenarios. And low-risk in the sense that the Raptors, oddly enough, were in all-out desperation mode going into the fourth quarter. Anything that seemed to be working to even the slightest extent, was worth a shot. And with the way Powell was playing coming into the playoffs, it was hard to argue with Casey’s decision. And boy did it pay off – George was held to just 2 points in the final frame on just 1/3 shooting. And that’s not because the Pacers didn’t run plays through PG. Powell’s ball-denial was simply awesome.

Powell played all 12 minutes in the fourth and was a team-high +16 in his time on the floor. His 2 steals and 10 points in the stat sheet may not have showed it – but the 46th overall draft selection in the 2015 NBA draft was a key cog in the Raptors’ biggest quarter of the season. Norman Powell saved us all.

DeMar DeRozan’s Return

After 4 forgettable games for DeRozan, he was finally back in the post-season. Dropping 34 points on 22 shots, this game was by far his best of the series, and probably the best of his playoff career thus far. DeMar was slightly better on defense, but was much better on offense. I wouldn’t say the shot selection really changed, but there were no more fadeaways in the corner with George and a couple of other Pacers draped all over him. Not to mention, DeRozan was able to get to the line 13 times (made 12 of them), and even went 2/4 from 3 (he hadn’t hit one all series).

Probably the biggest sequence of events of the night was with the score tied at 92. After 3 consecutive Terrence Ross missed three-pointers, DeRozan confidently took another 3 (just barely confirmed to be a 3 after review) to put the Raptors ahead 95-92. And in the immediately following possession, DeRozan drove hard to the basket and dished to Cory Joseph for another massive three-pointer to put the Raptors ahead 98-92, sinking the Pacers hopes from that point onward. Not that it was over, but Raptor fans could breathe easy.

That’s the part that stood out to me in DeMar’s game last night – it wasn’t just the shot making and free-throw inducing ability; it was the ability to see the floor and not be the ball-stopper that he was for the first 4 games (DeMar only had 2 assists, but shot much more efficiently and was actually net positive for the first time in the series). Part of that was also recognizing when to shoot (i.e. not when Paul George is guarding him).

The Final Minute

Though the Raptors have had the advantage on the glass for the majority of this series, in the 2 losses, offensive rebounds have been an issue for the Raptors to stop. And in the final few possessions of the game, the issue reared its ugly head once again. With the Raps up 100-96, Paul George pulled up in transition for a 3 with about 20 seconds left, but the Raps failed to grab the offensive rebound, leading to an open Solomon Hill 3-pointer. And in spite of the 2 made DeRozan free throws that followed to put the Raps up by 3, the Pacers got the ball back, and had a shot to tie it. With 2 seconds left, Hill tried once again.

Lookahead to Game 6

I’ll refrain from making any rash judgments about game 6 given the emotional roller coaster that was game 5, but there are a few things we can take from the game that will help going into a potential close-out game for the Raps. First, starting Patterson may not be the (permanent) answer. While it’s worth another shot, it certainly may not have the impact that we’d like it to have. Myles Turner is still a rookie, so banking on Patterson exploiting that match-up is a safe bet, but may not be the full answer.

Another takeaway would be utilizing Norman Powell more on Paul George, especially once he gets going. Powell has shown a clear ability to get under George’s skin, given his short stature but unreal length and athleticism.

I would say the Raps have the momentum and edge going into game 6, but if there’s one thing this series has taught us all at Raptors Republic, it’s that over-analyzing this thing may really just mean nothing. It’s going to come down to the Raptors’ ability to execute in a half-court (that means ball-security), contain Paul George, keep the advantage on the glass, and get Lowry and/or DeRozan going. If any 3 or all of those things happen, I’m confident going into game 6. If they don’t happen, we’ll see you on Sunday (hopefully evening) for game 7.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/27/raptors-storm-back-take-game-5-102-99/feed/29Game 5 Post-Game Reaction Podcast – Norm-al Service Resumedhttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/26/post-game-reaction-podcast-game-5/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/26/post-game-reaction-podcast-game-5/#commentsWed, 27 Apr 2016 02:28:32 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67954The Raptors storm back in the fourth to complete a comeback and take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Indiana. Norman Powell has now officially taken over the title of 6-God.

If you needed an example of someone playing good defense and getting lit up, look no further than DeMarre Carroll in this series. He’s doing the best he can against Paul George, but the latter’s deceptive dribbling, clever use of screens, and slithery frame make this an unenviable task for Carroll. Got benched briefly after picking up his fourth, but wouldn’t say it made a material difference in the game.

Horrid start to the game where he got stripped in the post about three times. Slowly settled himself and probably deserved a lot more touches. Felt like he was a bit behind the pace of the game, and looked sluggish at times despite the efficient shooting. Got benched in favor of the energetic Biyombo in the fourth, which was the right call.

Not shooting as much as I thought he would in this series, especially since he’s playing a bunch of minutes at the two. Despite the poor shooting, he continues to come up big, like those two FTs and the big three in the fourth. Can’t also discount just how much attention Indiana pays to him on the court, which frees up space for guys like DeRozan.

Had the long-two working early as the Raptors did a better job of freeing him from George’s defensive grasp. The big difference from previous games were that the shots were of slightly better quality (no crazy turnaround fadeways with a guy hanging on him), and the refs were kinder to him. Had a big jumper in the fourth which must’ve felt good, and his reaction demonstrated as such. Two big FTs to make it a three-point game with seconds left. Let’s see if this is his series turning around, or just the percentages giving him his due game.

Supplier of defense, giver of second chances, maker of FTs, invoker of second thoughts, finisher of strong proportions. You can see the Pacers feel his presence well before they attempt their drives. This guy’s doing his part and then some.

Came up with a huge defensive play in the fourth, guarded George better than Carroll, and supplied the requisite energy in the fourth which seemed to pull the team emotionally. Likely one of the toughest guys on the team. No fake thugness here.

Dwane Casey

Finally got rid of Scola from the starting lineup, and though it didn’t pay off offensively, did have a positive impact on defense overall. Stuck with Biyombo in the fourth which was the right call, and had the nouse to intentionally foul down 3, though why he didn’t do that again is surprising, luckily for us, time ran out.

Five Things We Saw

Bismack Biyombo’s FTs were huge. Usually when you foul him, the Pacers might expect him to miss at least one, and if he drains them both, it deflates them. Though the Raps were even on the boards, the fourth quarter second possessions the Raptors got sucked the wind out of the Pacers.

The lineup that continues to pay out for the Raps is Joseph, Lowry, Powell, Carroll, and Biyombo. This lineup has good perimeter defense, adequate rebounding against a so-so Pacer frontline, and enough offense at the wings to keep the Pacers busy. More of this, please.

The Pacers shot 11 threes in the first half, and 2 in the second. You knew that down 9 at the half wasn’t a big deal because the Pacers offense is so prone to going scoreless for 3-4 possessions, that even a small run brings the crowd and the scoreline back, especially if George is sitting. You saw clear evidence of this in the fourth where the Raptors, rather easily, overcame a 13-point deficit.

The Pacers ran a lot of sets which saw George Hill open in the corner which the Raptors got burned at. They made the adjustment of not being so help-aggressive in the second half, and Hill was forced to put it on the floor, where he’s far less effective.

DeRozan with a big game, which he was due for. The big question is whether this carries over to Game 6 in Indiana.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/26/quick-reaction-pacers-raptors-2/feed/395Pacers Daring Raptors to Beat Them From Outsidehttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/25/wut/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/25/wut/#commentsMon, 25 Apr 2016 13:00:03 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67845After two games of getting dominated inside the Pacers have packed the paint, daring the struggling Raptors guards to beat them from outside. The series may hinge on whether or not they're up to the task.

]]>Early in the Toronto Raptors first round series against the Indiana Pacers it looked as though they would dominate the interior. The timing on the pick and roll was very good and the Raptors big men were just too big, too strong, too mobile to be stopped. Paul George was bottling up all-star guard DeMar DeRozan but the Raptors were surviving because their defense was holding up and their interior offense was making up for what they weren’t getting from DeRozan. Starting in game three that seemed to change, those passes over the top weren’t there and the Raptors struggled to get the ball inside. This wasn’t for lack of trying, the Pacers altered their pick and roll defense to try to take those options away and made a bigger effort to keep the Raptors big men off the offensive glass, where they had feasted up until that point. If you watched the Pacers pick and roll defense and thought that it looked familiar, it’s because they actually adopted many of the same strategies as the Raptors, trusting that they wouldn’t have the personnel to counter their own pick and roll defense.

The Pacers pick and roll defense wasn’t really bad early in the series, the Raptors offensive timing was just better. The Raptors guards would time their passes perfectly, hitting the rolling big man as he pulled even with the defending big man, trusting that a good pass and forward momentum would get their man to the pass before the defense could react. Valanciunas doesn’t finish this one because he bobbles the pass but you can see the strategy – the pass is thrown when Valanciunas pulls even with Mahinmi and there’s no way Mahinmi can recover in time:

Here you see Cory Joseph and Valanciunas run that to perfection:

That’s a great pass from Joseph and the timing is impeccable: just the right lead and thrown at the precise moment when the defense is helpless to react. That’s a tough play to execute but it wasn’t always so difficult. The pick and roll baskets were even easier when the Raptors guards were able to get clear separation from their man, forcing a bigger commitment from the Pacers big man:

There’s nobody in position to help. Once Lowry gets that separation from George Hill it’s all over – he either gets to the rim or he hits Valanciunas for an easy basket. It became very clear that any time you let Valanciunas catch the ball in the paint without a swarm of defenders near him the Pacers would be in trouble, so the Pacers started swarming.

Starting in game three the Pacers started clogging up the middle, trusting that the Raptors would not find the open shooters, that those shooters wouldn’t make their shots or that George would be able to help at the rim and still recover to shooters. Suddenly Valanciunas had less room to operate and more bodies to battle for rebounds. He still produced but he wasn’t able to come with the kind of dominant performances we saw from him in the first two games. It’s kind of hard to dominate inside when you’re up against this:

This should look familiar, it’s a more aggressive version of the Raptors own pick and roll scheme. The Pacers are just dropping their guards even lower than the Raptors do, daring the Raptors to beat them from outside. And it’s not just about collapsing to the paint, if possible they’ve started walling off the paint like the Raptors do:

The Pacers have essentially stolen the Raptors pick and roll defense, the same defense that had them near the bottom of the league in three point defense. It’s had the desired effect for the Pacers, the Raptors three pointers per game went from 19 in the first two games to 31 in the next two and while their percentage did increase from 24.3 to 29.5 it’s still not a particularly good percentage.

Luckily for the Raptors they’ve spent a lot of time watching teams beat this style of defense and we can see mistakes that they’ve made fairly clearly. Their decision regarding who to pass to and when has been fairly poor. This is from the first featured pick and roll from game three:

Carroll has Lowry wide open with a lot of space to either launch a three or attack a rushed close out but ends up passing out to Patterson after Miles swipes at the ball. They still got a fairly good three point look out of this play but a Lowry three pointer with his feet set like this is among the most desired outcomes for any Raptors offensive possession.

The Raptors decision making regarding the direction of their pick and rolls is also interesting, to say the least. They’ve shown a tendency to run the pick and roll toward a loaded strong side, ensuring that there are multiple defenders occupying a very small portion of the court and little room to operate:

If that screen is set on the other side the Raptors have Scola one pass way with his man as the only viable help defender, and in theory he is a threat to hit those corner threes. It also keeps the play away from Paul George, which is something the Raptors should be actively trying for on every offensive possession. Instead they run a pick and roll directly at him while he’s guarding DeMar DeRozan, an offensive player that he can ignore until he has the ball in his hands. There may be some kind of strategic advantage for the Raptors in running pick and rolls into traffic but I’m at a loss as to what that may be.

Fortunately there are easy adjustments for a defense that sends bodies to the paint to deter passing the ball to big men on their way to the rim: play your shooters to punish the collapsing defense with effective three point shooting and team them up with as many playmakers as possible so you know they’re getting the ball where and when they need it. The Raptors three point percentage as a whole has been subpar but most of that is due to the struggles of their all-star backcourt, who have shot a combined 14.3% from deep on 35 attempts. Their designated spot up shooters have actually come through so far – Terrence Ross, DeMarre Carroll, Norman Powell and Patrick Patterson are shooting a combined 40% on 50 attemps, with each of them hitting above 38.5%. If you get them looks their performance to date suggests that they’ll make them.

Unfortunately this might require some tough personnel decisions for the Raptors, who are light on both playmakers and shooters so long as DeMar DeRozan is playing heavy minutes. The Pacers have no respect for him as a shooter because he’s missed all 8 of this three point attempts in the series and his playmaking is generally limited to dump off passes and kickouts on his scoring drives – he’s not getting any drives matched up with Paul George. It might be a good idea to limit DeRozan’s minutes not just because of his own struggles with making his shots or taking care of the ball, but because the Pacers are essentially daring the Raptors to do so by loading the paint with bodies and leaving the perimeter wide open.

]]>DeMar DeRozan had a wretched Game 4 where he went 4-15 FG for 8 points and 6 turnovers. He did have four assists (three to DeMarre Carroll) which didn’t come close to making up for his dull offensive performance. Though DeRozan insists that these are the same shots that were going in during the regular season, the fact that he’s being defended by an All-NBA defender probably has something to do with the bad shooting.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/24/67827/feed/12Raptors Regain Homecourt with Routhttp://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/22/raptors-game-three/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/22/raptors-game-three/#commentsFri, 22 Apr 2016 13:00:12 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67677The Raptors cruised to second consecutive victory to take a 2-1 lead and take back homecourt advantage in their first round series.

]]>This is more like it. This is what I was expecting before the series when I predicted the Raptors sweep. This game was only in doubt in our imaginations because we’ve all seen too many Raptors games to ever be fully comfortable with any lead – a condition that probably gets more severe with each Toronto team you root for – but in the real world there was no chance that they were going to lose this one. They’re just too much for the Pacers to handle. They’re more talented at the top, deeper, bigger, more athletic and the coaching matchup is a lot more even this year than it has been in the past.

After taking a beating inside the Pacers adjusted, sending more help to the paint on the pick and roll and making a more concerted effort to keep Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo off the glass. The result? Instead of getting completely dominated inside they just took a convincing beating inside and seemed to give up open three pointers every other possession. This is the problem that the Raptors present when they’re at their best: you either get dominated inside or you give up three pointers because it’s not possible to help in the paint and then rotate faster than they move the ball. As long as the Raptors continue to pick and roll the Pacers to death instead of launching contested midrange jumpers there doesn’t seem to be a lot that can be done to stop them. They’ve tried playing it straight up and got dominated inside. They tried crashing the paint and gave up a lot of open threes.

On the other end of the floor, the Pacers entire offense was Paul George again and a surprisingly spry DeMarre Carroll made sure that he worked for everything he got. Myles Turner’s size and versatility are proving to be a small problem but the rest of the Pacers team has been noticeably absent for the bulk of the series, with individual players making contributions for short stretches but not generating any kind of consistent offense. George Hill just had his best game of the series, but he only contributed 13 points and 2 assists while Monta Ellis disappeared after a strong showing in Toronto and nobody else can reasonably be expected to contribute much. The Pacers are going to need more than George and Turner to win another game in this series, but if Carroll/Turner/whoever are keeping George mostly in check and the Raptors continue to stick with the few shooters the Pacers have there may not be many opportunities for the supporting cast to break out. At this point the Pacers only hope is George exploding for a huge 45+ point game or Monta Ellis recapturing some of his past glory – against this Raptors defense it’s doubtful that either one could sustain that level of brilliance long enough for it alter the outcome of the series much.

This is why the Raptors got off to a quick start and never really looked back. Halfway through the first quarter they held a 6 point lead and by the time they got to the middle of the 2nd quarter that lead had already grown to 18. The Pacers never got the game within single digits again because they couldn’t sustain anything – they’d score a couple of baskets and get a couple of stops but then immediately give back any ground they gained.

That $@#! I Like

JV & BB Putting in Work – It must be so demoralizing to have all these aches and pains from getting beat up by Jonas Valanciunas in the paint, only to have him check out and be replaced by a fresh and energetic Bismack Biyombo. Kyle Lowry is undoubtedly the engine of this team but almost everything the Raptors have done well this series has started with their center rotation. They’re wearing the Pacers guards down with brutal screens while frustrating their big men with their physical defense and relentless pursuit of the basketball on the offensive glass. Even with the extra help the Pacers were trying to give inside the Raptors got 15 offensive rebounds – 7 of them from this dynamic duo and the rest of them likely created by the attention they garner from the Pacers big men. They’ve really set the tone for the series.

The Return of DeMarre Carroll – This is the DeMarre Carroll from opening night, the one who frustrated Paul George while contributing valuable hustle plays and timely points. I’m not convinced that he can keep this up – though the amount of time off between games definitely helps – but considering it was uncertain if he would be able to contribute anything at all he’s already exceeded expectations. Carroll spotting up in that corner as the Pacers collapse on a rolling Valanciunas has to scare opposing defenses because Lowry is clearly good enough to deliver the ball to Valanciunas where he needs it, Valanciunas is clearly good enough to finish and if you help in the paint you’re leaving Carroll open for three. This is the kind of conundrum that great teams create for opponents to solve. It may not always be there for the Raptors but certain lineups are proving to be almost unguardable because of it.

Everything About Patrick Patterson – Yes, his shot could stand to be a little more consistent but the threat of his shot is still enough to keep defenses spread out and he’s gotten better at scoring inside the three point line so the inconsistency matters less now than it did when he first got to Toronto. He’s done everything in this series: spaced the floor, attacked the rim, set effective screens, boxed out, protected the rim, switched onto guards and blown up pick and roll sets. He’s probably the first to arrive on game day, preparing the pregame meal and laying out all of the uniforms(probably with some kind of thoughtful personalized note for each player) before chopping up some last minute pregame film clips for each player and preparing the talking points for Coach Casey’s pregame speech. The term “glue guy” doesn’t do really do Patterson justice and I can’t imagine how this Raptors team would function without him.

DeMar DeRozan Kind of Getting It Going – He was still pretty bad overall but at least he had moments. The Pacers decided to give George a break from sticking to DeRozan and the struggling all-star guard responded by getting some of his cleanest looks of the series against non-George defenders. He still wasn’t able to get any daylight when George decided to shut him down and is still overwhelmed by that matchup but he’s found some confidence in his ability to attack other defenders. It’s not enough to justify the amount of possessions or clock he gets to use on offense but it’s enough to lessen the negative impact that he’s had and it puts him a little bit closer to being a positive contributor. Now it’s on Coach Casey to find some way to get DeRozan to the rim while George is on him.

Cory Joseph vs. the lesser Pacers – if Cory Joseph could just play against Ty Lawson, Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey all the time he’d be an all-star. Right now it’s looking like the only Pacers who may be able to contain him are George Hill and Paul George and they’re occupied on more important players so Cory Joseph may continue to get inside the Pacers defense at will. This series is really showing where Joseph excels: he’s not going to be your full-time starting point guard who generates offense when the defense is focused on him, but when their attention is on somebody else or you try to hide a weak defender on him he’ll find ways to punish you. At worst you get underwhelming but mistake-free offense with great defense, at best you get someone adept at finding seams in the offense as it strains in other directions to stop his more accomplished teammates. This series is really showcasing the ways that Joseph has turned himself into the perfect bench player.Raptors Fans on the Road– I often say that I think the Raptors fanbase is among the best in the league, and I swear I’m not pandering when I say that. The Raptors were among the league leaders in attendance as a perpetual lottery team and now that they’re a consistently good team it’s moved past that. Fans watch from outside in all weather during the playoffs and when the team travels it’s not uncommon to have enough fans at the game that they can make themselves heard – even in the playoffs. The Raptors representation in Indiana wasn’t overwhelming but it seems like it was a larger road crowd than any other team has gotten in the postseason and they stayed and chanted for their team even after the final buzzer sounded. Whether these are Raptors fans who travel to see them play or Canadian expats living in America it’s awesome to see them at the games and hear them on the broadcast.

I’m not even going to talk about the things that I don’t like because the Raptors have won consecutive playoff games in convincing fashion. They have Friday off and then look to take a commanding lead in the series on Saturday afternoon.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/22/raptors-game-three/feed/48Highlights – Jonas Valanciunas vs Pacers in Game 3 (Scoring and Rebounding)http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/22/highlights-jonas-valanciunas-vs-pacers-game-3-scoring-rebounding/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/22/highlights-jonas-valanciunas-vs-pacers-game-3-scoring-rebounding/#commentsFri, 22 Apr 2016 12:29:51 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67689Jonas Valanciunas was again a cause of consternation and frustration for the Pacers, who simply cannot handle Valanciunas’s size and strength in the block.

]]>Jonas Valanciunas was again a cause of consternation and frustration for the Pacers, who simply cannot handle Valanciunas’s size and strength in the block. After winning the rebounding battle by double digits the first two games, the Raptors were a +7 overall on the glass, and +6 on offensive boards, in large part to Valanciunas.

The problem that the Pacers have with Valanciunas is summarized nicely by the announcer at the 1:54 mark of this video where he described that there’s little Myles Turner can do to stop JV.

]]>The Raptors take 2-1 series lead in a comfortable demolition of the Pacers in Indiana. The early returns suggest that there’s little the Pacers can do to cope with the Raptors bigs, guards, bench and…well, anyone except DeMar DeRozan.

]]>http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/21/game-3-post-game-reaction-podcast-pacers-dominated/feed/9Highlights – Patrick Patterson vs Indiana Pacers (Game 2)http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/20/highlights-patrick-patterson-vs-indiana-pacers-game-2/
http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2016/04/20/highlights-patrick-patterson-vs-indiana-pacers-game-2/#commentsWed, 20 Apr 2016 13:32:46 +0000http://www.raptorsrepublic.com/?p=67566Patrick Patterson has been the best performer off the bench for the Raptors this post-season, and Game 2 highlighted his value to the team on both ends.

]]>Patrick Patterson has been the best performer off the bench for the Raptors this post-season, and Game 2 highlighted his value to the team on both ends. Patterson’s been accurate and efficient on offense, and tuned in on defense, especially on the boards.

He’s recovered from a horrid start to the season and has become the most consistent two-way Raptor in the second half of the season, and looks to have exorcised his demons from last year’s Washington series.

Here’s a 2Pat in Game 2, where he was the key cog in two of the best lineups featuring him at the four – in the second quarter, and in the fourth where the Raptors closed out the game.